Member

Terrorists are very adaptable. Large-scale events are a bit harder to attack, so they go to smaller-scale events. We have found that in Northern Ireland. My hon. Friend the Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) mentioned what terrorists did when they could not get through the security cordons in big towns: they went to mission halls, where there were maybe 40 worshippers, in the middle of the country. Those places then became targets, as did Orange halls and small country pubs. Terrorists will be adaptable. I have no doubt that there will be an outcry at some stage because what we anticipated was vulnerable to terrorists has changed. Maybe smaller venues will become vulnerable. Will we then bring into scope those with a capacity of 100, or 50? The Secretary of State should not be able to change the regulations without coming back to the House, so that we do not find ourselves placing burdens on, and regulating, individuals we never intended to, and who would find it impossible to comply.